While many women see breast cancer as their #1 health risk, it's not. The #1 health threat for women is cardiovascular disease. Nearly twice as many women in the United States die of heart disease and stroke each year than from all forms of cancer combined. The experienced staff at Dayton Heart and Vascular Hospital, Owned and Operated by Good Samaritan Hospital, understands the risks that women face, and they are committed to educating and improving the health of women throughout the Dayton area.

True: 1 in 30 American women will die of breast cancer.1 in 3 will die of heart disease
 
Heart attack warning signs for women may be different than they are for men, and they can be far more subtle. These are symptoms often reported by women:

• Unexplained fatigue, weakness or dizziness
• Feeling breathless with activities of daily living, often without chest pain of any kind
• Feelings of anxiety or impending doom
• Flu-like symptoms-specifically nausea, clamminess, or cold sweats
• Indigestion

So, if you have symptoms...what do you do? Call 9-1-1, and get help immediately. And if you have risk factors for heart disease, be proactive and learn more about your heart health. Dayton Heart & Vascular Hospital is helping women with that effort by bringing you Her Heart.
 
Her Heart
 
Her Heart is a program designed with a woman's heart in mind. The Her Heart focus is three-fold:

• Education of area women and health care providers about the prevalence of heart disease in women
• Identification of women at risk for heart disease
• Intervention in a manner appropriate for the differences in a woman's heart

Her Heart offers free Cardiovascular Screenings in the lobby of Dayton Heart & Vascular Hospital, Owned and Operated by Good Samaritan Hospital at 707 South Edwin C. Moses Blvd. (just north of Stewart Street). These free screenings include:

• Non-fasting Total Cholesterol, HDL and Glucose Levels
• Blood pressure readings
• Body Mass Index Evaluations
• Heart Healthy Cooking Demonstrations
• Free Chair Massages
• An opportunity to review your results privately with a registered nurse

The next free screening is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, 2008.
 

If you have any questions, we would love to hear from you.
Please contact us at DHVHinfo@shp-dayton.org.